The Bittersweet End

Over the past few weeks, I have been experiencing this feeling that I will call "alumni syndrome". I define it as a sense of the progress of something you are or were involved in, continuing without you. Now, this "syndrome" is not a negative one, but it is a reality check. The fact that I will soon be referring to myself as not only an alum of Baylor, but of APO as well, is starting to sink it. This, however, has nothing to do with the exceptional members that the Class of 2010 will be leaving behind. This has everything to with the fact that APO is our family, and upon graduation things change. No longer can just drive down the street to meet my little and her mom, no longer will I meet on Sunday nights with some of the most incredible people at Baylor, and no longer will I be able to call a family member just to say hey.

But, I promise this is not a depressing blog, I am so incredibly blessed to be a part of this organization. This organization that, as Daniel Nash said accurately today during his speech, makes people feel like close friends. I know that this pattern and these new members that we have invested both time and money into will live up to their potential and exceed our own. I am not worried about APO flourishing and thriving because I remember what APO used to be like. I used to say that I chose APO because I wanted to serve. Now I say that I chose APO because I wanted to be a part of a group of people who accepted me for me and whose passions matched mine. THAT is the core of APO. If you love to serve, and I mean truly serve, then APO is the only place to go.

These last couple of months will be bittersweet for me and probably some of the other seniors as well, but never fear for the continuation of APO. Pledge classes may drop, people may disappear, but APO... the core of who we are, will never let APO die. Have a great week everyone and I can't wait to see you all next Sunday :) God Bless!

BIG SIB HUNT

I don't know about you all, but I am so stinkin excited about BIG SIB HUNT tomorrow! I know that some of my excitement comes from a growing knowledge that this will be some of the last moments of college fun for me, but the majority of my excitement comes from the fact that our pledges are AMAZING! I know everyone likes to think that their pledge class rocked the house and will forever live on in infamy, but I think this pledge class may just rock our APO world a little bit. I see a spirit in them, as a group, that I see in individuals that make APO the amazing organization that it is. Within their pledge class (or group of new members now), I can see no weakest link because everyone encourages and helps everyone else. Now I know that this is my own completely unabashedly biased opinion, but I have overheard casual remarks by fellow APO members that echo my same sentiment. I believe that this pledge class will bring in a new rush of energy and vitality that APO needs.

Now pledge class, this place a heavy burden on you; to live up to your potential. We don't want this enthusiasm and general well being of the group to die when you all join the masses of APO; in fact we want it to flourish. Don't lose this spirit because this is what will get you through rough times in APO. That spirit is what we keep our numbers and our morale from plummeting. We are an impressive organization on campus and its not because of all the awards we have (some groups have a lot more) and its not because of the accolades that we have been given (they are few and far between). We are an impressive organization because we serve without recognition. We serve because without it we would flounder about uselessly. We serve because this is who God created us to be. APO is impressive because we do it because we want to, not because we have to. So new members and old, embrace these newbies and feed off of their excitement. New people, learn from the old because we have wisdom that you do not have yet. And old members, learn from the new, because they see through eyes that are not tired and cynical. We are a brotherhood. We are a family. Get excited.